U.S. patent number 7,080,876 [Application Number 10/999,012] was granted by the patent office on 2006-07-25 for roof molding-free body structure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Suzuki Motor Corporation. Invention is credited to Shinichi Ido, Harunaga Takada.
United States Patent |
7,080,876 |
Ido , et al. |
July 25, 2006 |
Roof molding-free body structure
Abstract
The present invention provides a roof molding-free body
structure of a type such that a molding is not provided in a joint
portion between a roof panel 2 and a roof side rail 3. In a joint
location between the roof panel 2 and the roof side rail 3, a
substantially L-shaped joint portion 8 consisting of a vertical
surface 6 and a joint surface 7 is formed in the upper inside part
of a side body outer panel 4 of the roof side rail 3, and a joint
portion 15 consisting of a semicircular curved surface 12, a leg
surface 13 arranged so as to go away from the vertical surface 6 of
the side body outer panel 4 toward the inside in the vehicle width
direction, and a joint surface 14 arranged horizontally is formed
at the outside edge in the vehicle width direction of the roof
panel 2; the vertical surface 6 of the side body outer panel 4 and
the curved surface 12 of the roof panel 2 are joined to each other;
and a vertical height difference H is provided in the joint
location between the roof panel 2 and the roof side rail 3.
Inventors: |
Ido; Shinichi (Shizuoka-Ken,
JP), Takada; Harunaga (Shizuoka-Ken, JP) |
Assignee: |
Suzuki Motor Corporation
(JP)
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Family
ID: |
34616692 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/999,012 |
Filed: |
November 29, 2004 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20050116509 A1 |
Jun 2, 2005 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Dec 1, 2003 [JP] |
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2003-400948 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
296/210 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D
25/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60J
7/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;296/210,213,185.3 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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03112787 |
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May 1991 |
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JP |
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10194055 |
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Jul 1998 |
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JP |
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11124053 |
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May 1999 |
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JP |
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2000-247259 |
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Sep 2000 |
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JP |
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2000247259 |
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Sep 2000 |
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JP |
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Primary Examiner: Patel; Kiran B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz
& Mentlik, LLP
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A roof molding-free body structure of a type such that a molding
is not provided in a joint portion between a roof panel forming a
roof portion of a body and a roof side rail extending in the
longitudinal direction of the body, which is arranged on the
outside in the vehicle width direction of said roof panel, wherein
in a joint location between said roof panel and said roof side
rail, a substantially L-shaped joint portion consisting of a
vertical surface and a joint surface is formed in the upper inside
part of a side body outer panel of said roof side rail, and on the
other hand, a joint portion consisting of a semicircular curved
surface, a leg surface arranged so as to go away from the vertical
surface of said side body outer panel toward the inside in the
vehicle width direction, and a joint surface arranged horizontally
is formed at the outside edge in the vehicle width direction of
said roof panel; the vertical surface of said side body outer panel
and the curved surface of said roof panel are joined to each other;
and a vertical height difference is provided in the joint location
between said roof panel and said roof side rail.
2. The roof molding-free body structure according to claim 1,
wherein a recess portion having a substantially triangular or
rectangular cross section is provided between the vertical surface
of said side body outer panel and the leg surface of said roof
panel, and the joint surface of said roof panel is mounted on the
joint surface of said side body outer panel.
3. The roof molding-free body structure according to claim 1,
wherein said roof panel is continuously provided with said curved
surface formed by bending the outside edge in the vehicle width
direction, said leg surface, and said joint surface.
4. The roof molding-free body structure according to any one of
claims 1 to 3, wherein an upper corner portion of the curved
surface of said roof panel and the vertical surface of said side
body outer panel are joined to each other by a laser brazing
continuous weld.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roof molding-free body structure
on the automobile roof side.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, a roof panel 51 of an automobile and a side body panel
52a of a roof side rail 52 as shown in FIG. 6 are joined to each
other by spot welding in a state in which an outside edge portion
and an inside edge portion are lapped on each other. Therefore,
welding traces of spot welds W are produced on the outside surface
of the roof panel 51, which undesirably impairs the appearance. To
solve this problem, a resin part called a molding 53 is mounted to
the joint portion to conceal the welding traces.
Since body color varies widely according to vehicle type etc., if
the molding 53 used is of one color of black, the appearance
quality may be degraded depending on the body color. On the other
hand, if the molding 53 is painted body color, the production cost
increases. In addition, the molding 53 sometimes becomes uneven or
is not mounted straight.
In such a situation, a roof molding-free body structure has
conventionally been employed in which on the automobile roof side,
no molding is provided in a joint portion between a roof panel and
a roof side rail (refer to Patent Document 1, for example). For
this roof molding-free body structure, an inclined portion
extending upward on the outside in the vehicle width direction is
formed in the upper part of a longitudinal wall portion of side
body panel in the roof side rail, an inclined portion extending
downward on the inside of vehicle body is formed in the outside
edge portion in the vehicle width direction of the roof panel, and
the inclined portion of side body panel and the inclined portion of
roof panel are welded in a lapped state.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No.
2000-247259
However, for the above-described roof molding-free body structure,
since the side body panel of roof side rail and the inclined
portion of roof panel are used as a joint portion, it is especially
difficult to align the inclined portions vertically, and therefore
much time is required for the assembling work of roof side, which
makes it difficult to increase productivity. Also, for the
conventional roof molding-free body structure, when the distance
between the right and left roof side rails varies, a gap or
inclination occurs in the joint portion, which degrades the
appearance quality. Moreover, since a sealer material is applied in
the upper part of the joint portion, there arises a problem of
increased cost.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the above situation,
and accordingly an object thereof is to provide a roof molding-free
body structure in which the workability for assembling a joint
portion between a roof panel and a roof side rail is improved, and
the occurrence of a gap and inclination of the joint portion is
prevented, thereby obtaining good appearance quality.
To solve the problems with the above-described related art, the
present invention provides a roof molding-free body structure of a
type such that a molding is not provided in a joint portion between
a roof panel forming a roof portion of a body and a roof side rail
extending in the longitudinal direction of the body, which is
arranged on the outside in the vehicle width direction of the roof
panel, wherein in a joint location between the roof panel and the
roof side rail, a substantially L-shaped joint portion consisting
of a vertical surface and a joint surface is formed in the upper
inside part of a side body outer panel of the roof side rail, and
on the other hand, a joint portion consisting of a semicircular
curved surface, a leg surface arranged so as to go away from the
vertical surface of the side body outer panel toward the inside in
the vehicle width direction, and a joint surface arranged
horizontally is formed at the outside edge in the vehicle width
direction of the roof panel; the vertical surface of the side body
outer panel and the curved surface of the roof panel are joined to
each other; and a vertical height difference is provided in the
joint location between the roof panel and the roof side rail.
Also, in the present invention, a recess portion having a
substantially triangular or rectangular cross section is provided
between the vertical surface of the side body outer panel and the
leg surface of the roof panel, and the joint surface of the roof
panel is mounted on the joint surface of the side body outer
panel.
Further, in the present invention, the roof panel is continuously
provided with a curved surface formed by bending the outside edge
in the vehicle width direction, the leg surface, and the joint
surface.
Still further, in the present invention, an upper corner portion of
the curved surface of the roof panel and the vertical surface of
the side body outer panel are joined to each other by a laser
brazing continuous weld.
As described above, the roof molding-free body structure in
accordance with the present invention is of a type such that a
molding is not provided in the joint portion between the roof panel
forming the roof portion of body and the roof side rail extending
in the longitudinal direction of the body, which is arranged on the
outside in the vehicle width direction of the roof panel, in which
in the joint location between the roof panel and the roof side
rail, the substantially L-shaped joint portion consisting of the
vertical surface and the joint surface is formed in the upper
inside part of the side body outer panel of the roof side rail, and
on the other hand, the joint portion consisting of the semicircular
curved surface, the leg surface arranged so as to go away from the
vertical surface of the side body outer panel toward the inside in
the vehicle width direction, and the joint surface arranged
horizontally is formed at the outside edge in the vehicle width
direction of the roof panel; the vertical surface of the side body
outer panel and the curved surface of the roof panel are joined to
each other; and the vertical height difference is provided in the
joint location between the roof panel and the roof side rail.
Therefore, even when the distance between the right and left roof
side rails varies, the variations can be absorbed surely by pushing
the vertical surface of the side body outer panel on the roof
panel, and the workability for assembling the joint portion between
the roof panel and the roof side rail can be improved. Moreover,
according to the roof molding-free body structure in accordance
with the present invention, the occurrence of a gap and inclination
of the joint portion, which are caused by the above-described
variations, can be prevented, so that the appearance quality of
body can be upgraded.
Also, if, in the present invention, the recess portion having a
substantially triangular or rectangular cross section is provided
between the vertical surface of the side body outer panel and the
leg surface of the roof panel, the recess portion can be used as a
passage for discharging an electrocoating fluid at the time of body
painting, so that the electrocoating fluid can be discharged to the
outside easily, surely, and efficiently. Moreover, if the joint
surface of the roof panel is mounted on the joint surface of the
side body outer panel, the vertical positioning of the roof panel
can be performed, so that the workability for assembling the roof
side can further be improved.
Also, if, in the present invention, the roof panel is continuously
provided with a curved surface formed by bending the outside edge
in the vehicle width direction, the leg surface, and the joint
surface, the rigidity of the outside edge portion of roof panel is
increased, so that deformation of roof panel as a single unit can
be prevented.
Also, if, in the present invention, the upper corner portion of the
curved surface of the roof panel and the vertical surface of the
side body outer panel are joined to each other by a laser brazing
continuous weld, a body having a high rigidity and a good
appearance can be obtained, so that the appearance quality can be
upgraded. Moreover, the application of a sealer material is not
needed, so that a reduced cost can be achieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the whole of an automobile to
which a roof molding-free body structure in accordance with a first
embodiment of the present invention is applied;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of portion X in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A of FIG. 1,
showing a roof molding-free body structure in accordance with a
second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A of FIG. 1,
showing a roof molding-free body structure in accordance with a
third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state before a molding is
mounted in the joint portion between a roof panel and a roof side
rail in a conventional automotive roof side structure; and
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state after a molding has
been mounted in the joint portion between a roof panel and a roof
side rail in a conventional automotive roof side structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in
detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of a roof molding-free body
structure in accordance with the present invention. A roof portion
of a body 1 of an automobile to which the roof molding-free body
structure of this embodiment is applied is formed by a roof panel 2
as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and roof side rails 3 extending in the
body length direction are provided in both outside edge portions in
the vehicle width direction of the roof panel 2. In this
embodiment, moreover, since the roof molding-free body structure is
adopted, a resin part such as a molding is not disposed in a joint
portion between the roof panel 2 and the roof side rail 3. In FIGS.
2 and 3, an arrow mark UP indicates the upward direction with
respect to the body, and an arrow mark IN indicates the inside
direction in the vehicle width direction.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the roof side rail 3 of this embodiment
is made up of a side body outer panel 4 forming a part of body side
and a rail roof side inner panel 5 disposed on the inside in the
vehicle width direction of the side body outer panel 4.
In the upper inside part of the side body outer panel 4, there is
formed a substantially L-shaped joint portion 8 consisting of a
vertical surface 6 extending downward with respect to the body 1
and an upper joint surface 7 that is continuous with the vertical
surface 6 and extends inward in the vehicle width direction.
Moreover, in the lower part of the side body outer panel 4, there
is formed a lower joint surface 9 that is formed by bending the
outside edge portion in the vehicle width direction and extends
downward with respect to the body 1. Also, in the upper part of the
rail roof side inner panel 5, there is formed an upper joint
surface 10 that is formed by bending the inside edge portion in the
vehicle width direction and extends inside in the vehicle width
direction. In the lower part of the rail roof side inner panel 5,
there is formed a lower joint surface 11 that is formed by bending
the outside edge portion in the vehicle width direction and extends
downward with respect to the body 1.
Therefore, for the roof side rail 3, the side body outer panel 4
and the rail roof side inner panel 5 are joined to each other by
spot welds W in the state in which the upper and lower joint
surfaces 7 and 9 of the side body outer panel 4 and the upper and
lower joint surfaces 10 and 11 of the rail roof side inner panel 5
are lapped on each other, respectively, by which a closed
cross-sectional portion B extending in the longitudinal direction
of the body 1 is formed.
On the other hand, in the outside edge portion in the vehicle width
direction of the roof panel 2 of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS.
2 and 3, there is formed a substantially Z-shaped joint portion 15
consisting of a substantially semicircular curved surface 12 bent
downward, an inclined surface shaped leg surface 13 that is
continuous with the curved surface 12 and inclinedly extends
downward to the inside in the vehicle width direction so as to go
away from the vertical surface 6 of the side body outer panel 4,
and a joint surface 14 that is continuous with the leg surface 13
and is arranged in the horizontal direction by being bent to the
outside in the vehicle width direction. That is to say, the roof
panel 2 is constructed so that the height thereof can be adjusted
by only the substantially Z-shaped joint portion 15 regardless of
the vertical surface 6 of the side body outer panel 4.
On the joint surface 7 of the side body outer panel 4, the joint
surface 14 of the roof panel 2 is mounted. Also, the upper corner
portion of the curved surface 12 of the roof panel 2 and the
vertical surface 6 of the side body outer panel 4 are joined to
each other by a laser brazing continuous weld A. Moreover, in the
joint location between the roof panel 2 and the roof side rail 3, a
vertical height difference H is provided between the upper corner
portion of the curved surface 12 and the upper end portion of the
vertical surface 6 of the side body outer panel 4. This portion of
the height difference H has a function of a rain rail (eaves
trough) for preventing rainwater etc. from getting over the roof
side rail 3 and dropping to the door side.
Furthermore, between the vertical surface 6 of the side body outer
panel 4 and the leg surface 13 of the roof panel 2, there is
provided a recess portion 16 having a substantially triangular
cross section, which can be used as a passage for discharging an
electrocoating fluid at the time of body painting.
When the roof molding-free body structure of the first embodiment
of the present invention is assembled, first, the roof side rail 3
is erected substantially vertically, and the roof panel 2 is
mounted from the upside, by which the position in the height
direction of the roof panel 2 is determined. Next, the roof side
rail 3 is pushed on the roof panel 2 to eliminate a gap C between
the curved surface 12 of the roof panel 2 and the vertical surface
6 of the side body outer panel 4 of the roof side rail 3.
Subsequently, the laser brazing continuous weld A is made by
applying a laser to the upper corner portion of the curved surface
12 of the roof panel 2 and the vertical surface 6 of the side body
outer panel 4 from the upside by using a laser welding machine, not
shown. Thereby, the roof panel 2 and the roof side rail 3 are
assembled to each other, by which the roof molding-free body
structure of this embodiment can be obtained (refer to FIGS. 2 and
3).
FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the roof molding-free body
structure in accordance with the present invention. In the second
embodiment, the same reference numerals are applied to the same
elements as those in the first embodiment, and the explanation of
these elements is omitted.
The roof molding-free body structure in accordance with the second
embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that as shown in
FIG. 4, a leg surface 23 of the roof panel 2 is not the inclined
surface shaped leg surface 13, and is formed by a horizontal
surface 23a extending inward in the vehicle width direction so as
to go away from the vertical surface 6 of the side body outer panel
4 and a vertical surface 23b continuous with the horizontal surface
23a. Accordingly, a recess portion 26 having a substantially
rectangular cross section, which can be used as a passage for
discharging an electrocoating fluid at the time of body painting,
is provided between the vertical surface 6 of the side body outer
panel 4 and the leg surface 23 of the roof panel 2. Other
constructions, effects, and an assembling procedure are the same as
those in the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the roof molding-free body
structure in accordance with the present invention. In the third
embodiment, the same reference numerals are applied to the same
elements as those in the first and second embodiments, and the
explanation of these elements is omitted.
The roof molding-free body structure in accordance with the third
embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that as shown in
FIG. 5, the leg surface 23 of the roof panel 2 is not the inclined
surface shaped leg surface 13, and is formed by the horizontal
surface 23a extending inward in the vehicle width direction so as
to go away from the vertical surface 6 of the side body outer panel
4 and the vertical surface 23b continuous with the horizontal
surface 23a, and that a joint surface 24 is arranged horizontally
by being bent to the inside in the vehicle width direction so as to
be continuous with the vertical surface 23b of the leg surface 23.
Accordingly, a recess portion 26 having a substantially rectangular
cross section, which can be used as a passage for discharging an
electrocoating fluid at the time of body painting, is provided
between the vertical surface 6 of the side body outer panel 4 and
the leg surface 23 of the roof panel 2. Other constructions,
effects, and an assembling procedure are the same as those in the
first embodiment.
The above is a description of the embodiments of the present
invention. The present invention is not limited to the
above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications
can be made based on the technical concept of the present
invention.
* * * * *